Origin of "the easy way" and "the hard way"

[robbiev]

I was just reading an article on Wiki (yes, I know) about the game Craps. It stated that the phrases "the easy way" and "the hard way" both take thier origins from the game. That seems a little suspect to me (of course, I could be wrong).

Just for reference, in Craps, "the easy way" means an even number that is rolled by anything other than a pair and "the hard way" means an even number that is rolled by a pair. For example, a 4-2 is an easy six; a 3-3 is a hard six. It's easier to roll a 4-2 than a 3-3 because 4-2 can come 4-2 or 2-4, therefore it's "easier" to roll than 3-3, which can only come one way.

It doesn't seem to me that either of the phrases come specifically from that meaning when used to say something not related to the game of craps.

For instance, if there are two ways to do something and one way is difficult and one way is not, the un-difficult way is the easy way and the difficult way is the hard way. I realize the meanings are similar.

To the point: Anybody know if it's true that the phrases specifically came from the game of Craps? I tried to google the info, but couldn't find anything.

[Silas Sparkhammer]

I think that the phrases are so generic as to be untraceable. They appear in craps, in a very specific arithmetical sense, but surely the concept has been around since dice were invented, long before English she was a-spoke.

In my opinion, if an English speaker were standing at the bottom of Mt. Blanc, and trying to decide by which route to essay an ascent, and his guide said, "This is the easy way, but that is the hard way," the phrase would not have its origin in dice.

If, however, one said, "That route will trump you, and I would not bid against it," or "Too many good climbers have been checkmated there," there would be no question of how the phrases originated.

Silas

[robbiev]

Originally Posted by Silas Sparkhammer

I think that the phrases are so generic as to be untraceable. They appear in craps, in a very specific arithmetical sense, but surely the concept has been around since dice were invented, long before English she was a-spoke.

In my opinion, if an English speaker were standing at the bottom of Mt. Blanc, and trying to decide by which route to essay an ascent, and his guide said, "This is the easy way, but that is the hard way," the phrase would not have its origin in dice.

That's exactly what I was thinking. "Generic" is a good word. It seemed odd to me that something with so many different possible meaning could attributed strictly to craps lingo.

[kit_n_caboodle]

I used to have a male friend who would leer at women and say "Wanna make five bucks the hard way?" It always made me laugh, then go

There is the easy way, the hard way, and then there is the cowboy way....

[Ali Infree]

Doug:

Is that like going commando?

Or what?


Ali "brokeback mountain thyme" Infree

Originally Posted by Ali Infree

Doug:

Is that like going commando?

Or what?

I'm not sure myself, but I hear it a lot around here. Maybe it is a code phrase for something....

Cowboy way = doing it the hard way but with cows?

Lookie "And a moo-moo here, and a moo-moo there" Lu

[CannonFodder]

Originally Posted by kit_n_caboodle

I used to have a male friend who would leer at women and say "Wanna make five bucks the hard way?" It always made me laugh, then go

I know it's a quote from Caddyshack, no idea of its attribution prior to that.

[CannonFodder]

Originally Posted by Ali Infree

Doug:

Is that like going commando?

Or what?


Ali "brokeback mountain thyme" Infree

During vietnam, Navy SEALs were reputed not to wear underwear. I have no idea how true that statement is, but they were commandos, so I think that could be the origin of that one.

Of course nowadays in hot climates most of us (Soldiers) don't wear underwear.

[Joostik]

One could even associate it with the classical story of Heracles at the Crossroads.

[vison]

I think "the easy way" and the "hard way" began in Robert Forward's brilliant book "Dragon's Egg".

[Missie]

"Easy/Hard way" always makes me think of Spongebob Squarepants now.

"We can do this the easy way, or the hard way. Or the medium way. Or the semi-easy medium-hard way. Or the sorta hard with a touch of awkward easy-difficult challenging way."